JACKSON – As Northampton County gets ready to hold is second primary, all 18 of the polling locations will be open today (Tuesday) to receive voters as they decide the fate of the candidates competing in a runoff election for State Superintendent of Public Instruction and House District 27.

Michael Wray of Gaston, a Democratic candidate for House District 27, will be up against Richard M. Henderson, while Marshall Stewart and June S. Atkinson will compete for the superintendent seat.

In the July 20 primary, Henderson and Wray received 29 percent of the overall vote with eight votes separating the two, 2,874 votes being in Wray’s favor and 2,882 votes credited to Henderson.

Grace Edwards garnered 23 percent of the vote with 2,290 votes followed by John Soles who received 16 percent with 1,586 votes and Julius O. Webb who received two percent of the vote with 200 votes.

In the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Stewart garnered 35 percent of the overall vote taking in 135,348 statewide ballots in his favor. Following a close second with 34 percent, Atkinson garnered 132,041 votes statewide, while J.B. Buxton fell in third place with 117,274 votes totaling 30 percent of the overall ballots.

The runoff between the candidates for the two respective seats will be determined today. According to Northampton County Board of Elections Director, Tonya Pitts, a light turnout is expected for the election with polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and following the same actions, procedures and laws as the last primary election.

Polling places will also be open in Bertie and Hertford counties. The only names on the run-off ballot in these two counties will be the Stewart-Atkinson race for the Democratic nod heading into November’s General Election.

All polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

In Hertford County, the Ahoskie II precinct has been moved from its traditional spot at the National Guard Armory to the Ahoskie Recreation Department, located on West Main Street. The move was necessary because the Armory suffered flooding problems during Saturday’s passage of what was once Hurricane Charley.